Penrith’s decision to rest Dylan Edwards for their final game of the regular season could cost the workaholic fullback when the Dally M Medal for best NRL player of 2022 is named on Wednesday.
Edwards has been in electrifying form all season and stepped up when the Panthers were missing key players such as Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai through injury and State of Origin commitments.
But he and Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo – another strong contender – were both given a week off prior to the finals series and their lack of votes in round 25 could propel the likes of Nicho Hynes and Ben Hunt up the final table of votes.
“Dyl has those leadership qualities and he leads with action,” Cleary told AAP.
“This year he has been amazing and everyone wants to be alongside him in the trenches.”
The Dally M would cap the start of a big week for Edwards, who will play in the grand final against Parramatta on Sunday aiming to secure back-to-back titles with Ivan Cleary’s side.
The 26-year-old has never claimed the award and forms part of a strong field of contenders for Wednesday night’s awards ceremony at Randwick Racecourse.
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Cronulla halfback Hynes could become the first player to take out the game’s most-coveted individual prize in his first season at a new club since Todd Carney (Sydney Roosters, 2010).
Hynes has been a star of Cronulla’s resurgence this season, guiding them to a second-place finish.
The Sharks playmaker, who could become the first Cronulla player since Preston Campbell (2001) to collect the prize, trailed St George Illawarra halfback Hunt by three votes before voting went behind closed doors after round 12.
Hunt has had one of his best seasons at NRL level but the Dragons’ late-season slump may cost him a chance of taking out the top prize.
In the battle for coach of the year, Ivan Cleary (Penrith) is expected to face tough opposition from Cronulla rookie coach Craig Fitzgibbon and North Queensland mentor Todd Payten.
Here’s how the awards are shaping up.
(2021 winner – Tom Trbojevic): Hunt was magnificent as pretty much a one-man band at the Dragons and will not have the problem of teammates taking votes away.
Yeo and Edwards could harm each other’s chances while Hynes, playing for a Sharks team which surged to second spot, is likely to have polled strongly in a lot of the majority of their games.
Hunt will have to overturn recent history to win with St George Illawarra missing out on the finals.
(Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
The last Dally M Medallist from a team that didn’t make the playoffs was fallen Eels star Jarryd Hayne, when he shared the award with Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston in 2014.
Knights hooker Danny Buderus (2004) and Dragons five-eighth Trent Barrett (2000) are the only players to have won the award in the NRL era without playing in the finals that season.
Hunt should win but Hynes is a strong chance of an upset.
| Ben Hunt (Dragons) | 19 |
| Isaah Yeo (Panthers) | 17 |
| Nicho Hynes (Sharks) | 16 |
| Mitchell Moses (Eels) | 15 |
| Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm) | 15 |
| James Tedesco (Roosters) | 14 |
| Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles) | 13 |
| Dylan Edwards (Panthers) | 13 |
| Cameron Munster (Storm) | 12 |
| Adam Reynolds (Broncos) | 11 |
(2021 winner – Craig Bellamy): A few coaches have solid claims but the fact that Todd Payten has taken the Cowboys from 15th last season to third, means he is a shoo-in for this award.
(2021 winner – James Tedesco): Always a tough one to pick, this one could go to Daly Cherry-Evans for his efforts in keeping Manly together despite many hurdles they’ve faced this season, particularly the Tom Trbojevic injury and the “inclusivity jersey” boycott fiasco.
(2021 winner – Sam Walker): Cowboys second-rower Jeremiah Nanai has blitzed it this year and will run away with this award.
(2021 winner – Tom Trbojevic): Dylan Edwards has been the No.1 among the No.1 jerseys this season – while some contenders have flashes of brilliance, his consistent excellence and durability has been at the forefront of Penrith’s success. Roosters skipper James Tedesco is his only rival for this year’s award following Ryan Papenhuyzen’s fractured kneecap.
(2021 winners – Brian To’o and Reuben Garrick): Alex Johnston must surely top this category for his try-scoring efforts at South Sydney but the other candidate is likely to come down to a battle between Corey Oates, Brian To’o, Daniel Tupou, Josh Addo-Carr and Selwyn Cobbo. Based solely on club form, Oates will probably get the nod for his renaissance at the Broncos.
(Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
(2021 winners – Justin Olam and Matt Burton): Justin Olam is a no-brainer, not just for his bone-jarring defence but his all-round game at Melbourne while Roosters star Joey Manu will be hard to deny and could end up on the overall medal leaderboard.
(2021 winner – Cody Walker): Cameron Munster and Walker have been head and shoulders above their rivals this year. Jarome Luai has done well but Munster is likely to get this award.
(2021 winner – Nathan Cleary): This will be a three-horse race between Hunt, Hynes and Moses. All three have been integral to their respective team’s success and even though Nathan Cleary and Daly Cherry-Evans will be Australia’s two halfbacks in the World Cup, Hunt, Hynes or Moses would not look out of place if an injury to the Origin duo means they’re needed in that role for the Kangaroos.
Nicho Hynes is tackled by Ben Hunt. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
(2021 winner – Brandon Smith): Api Koroisau has been the form hooker in the NRL this year ahead of his Origin counterparts Damien Cook and Harry Grant, and Cowboys young gun Reece Robson.
(2021 winners – Payne Haas and James Fisher-Harris): The incumbent duo have missed a few games here and there – Canberra’s Joseph Tapine and Eels veteran Junior Paulo are likely to break their stranglehold.
(2021 winners – Viliame Kikau and Isaiah Papali’i): Kikau is on track for a third straight spot in the Dally M Team of the Year while Nanai will probably edge out Shaun Lane, Kurt Capewell, Liam Martin, Angus Crichton and Hudson Young to be his honorary second-row partner.
Jeremiah Nanai scores. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
(2021 winner – Isaiah Yeo): Yeo has again been the dominant roving forward in the NRL although Patrick Carrigan is closing the gap and Cameron Murray has been superb for Souths.
(2021 winner – Reuben Garrick): Val Holmes (244) was one sharp-shooting Cowboy this year with 100 goals, a couple of two-point field goals, including a finals match-winner, and 10 tries.
(2021 winner Alex Johnston): He’s used to racking up hat-tricks and Johnston top pedthe try-scoring charts for a third straight year with 30 after hauls of 30 and 23 the past two seasons. Corey Oates was next best on 20.
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